Whom You Know: MOVERS AND SHAKERS: Joy Rose, President and Founder of Mamapalooza Inc.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

MOVERS AND SHAKERS: Joy Rose, President and Founder of Mamapalooza Inc.

Joy Rose is President and Founder of Mamapalooza Inc. a company by women, promoting (m)others for social, cultural and economic benefit. She is also acting Executive Director for The Motherhood Foundation. JOY ROSE has been awarded the Susan B. Anthony Award from NOW-NYC 2009 in recognition of her grassroots activism and dedication to advancing equality and improving the lives of women and girls in New York City. Joy is dedicated to championing opportunities for Women, Mom-artists & Educators and Businesswomen.

Joy is committed a lasting legacy of empowerment and support, while redefining what it means to be a modern mother. She has successfully pioneered a new culture of mom-inspired art and performance. She’s also the founder and lead singer of the rock band, 'Housewives On Prozac', and is working with the MFI (Motherhood Foundation Inc) towards the creation of The Museum Of Motherhood. Inspired by her experiences as a feminist mother in the arts, she works tirelessly with women co-creating events and programming, changing the way women's voices are heard in the media, education and performing arts, impacting the culture of mothers and their families.

The first MAMAPALOOZA event took place on a single stage in Manhattan in 2002. MAMAPALOOZA Inc. has grown to encompass an annual 3 day Conference in Manhattan each May as a lead in to the large scale free family event at Summer On the Hudson at Riverside Park South. This year's 6th annual Riverside South, Summer On The Hudson happens Sunday May 31st from noon - 5PM.

Kicking off each May since 2002 are multiple performances featuring Manhattan women and mothers in the arts. Events happen concurrently throughout the month and include: The 14th Street Y featuring Jill Shelly in Moms Cracking Up, Momedy Comedy with Nancy Lombardo, Full Metal Mama Comedy with Barbara Singer, and Moms Rock musical events at Arlene's Grocery and The Slipper Room. This year's conference will be held May 28, 29, 30 at NOLA Studios in midtown, with three days of guest speakers including Dr. Phyllis Chesler, ongoing theatrical presentations, educational fare and back to back film screenings.

Joy Rose is a featured guest speaker for Women’s Events, has appeared at The Women’s Media Center, NYC founded by Jane Fonda, Robin Morgan and Gloria Steinem, speaking on Art, Feminism and Finances in New York City and works closely with New York Parks Department overseeing and coordinating over fifty staff & volunteers creating events that involve hundreds of artists, educators, and mom and women owned projects and businesses.

Her commitment is to see that Manhattan women are not marginalized or minimized as amazing talented and gorgeous performers, artists, musicians, comics or anything else they commit themselves too just because they are mothers.

Peachy Deegan chatted with Joy Rose for Whom You Know.

Peachy Deegan: When was Mamapalooza founded and what led you to begin it?
Joy Rose: Mamapalooza was founded on a single stage in Manhattan in 2002. I was motivated to get out of the house with my girlfriends and make some noise – Hence my band’s name ‘Housewives On Prozac’. After 4 kids in a walkup loft in Soho, I needed to get my yah, yahs out.

How do you balance that with your singing career?
Mamapalooza, kids and my personal music project are an impossibly wonderful juggling act where everything and nothing get done on a consistent basis.

How much planning does Mamapalooza require?
More time or money than I have.

How can Manhattanites become involved in Mamapalooza?
Performers can sign up on our website. Women can join us at our annual conference this May 28-30 and grow their mom brain. Lot’s of stimulating fare and fun too, with multiple evening performances throughout the month, and of course free family fare at Summer On The Hudson at Riverside Pier May 31st from noon-5PM.

What is your favorite place to be in NYC?
Betsey Johnson’s in Soho in the middle of the sale rack.

What is your favorite shop?
The Gramercy Park Thrift Store and Lingo on West 19th.

What is your favorite drink?
Mojito

What is your favorite restaurant?
Sapporo East

What is your favorite NYC book?
I don’t have time to read

What is your favorite thing to do in NYC that you can do nowhere else?
Eat Veniero's Pastry Lobster Tails and wander the MOMA in the springtime

What do you think is most underrated and overrated here?
Underrated is the constantly changing mood of the Hudson River. She’s different every day and so accessible. Overrated is the East Village hip-factor.

What else should Whom You Know readers know about you?
I started Mamapalooza as a way for women who are mothers to participate in something really hip, vital and totally out of the box. I’m not here preaching one more guilt trip on how to be a better-everything to everyone. For me, it’s all about the music, the friendship and the love.

How would you like to be contacted by Whom You Know readers?
You can find me curbside on Bleeker Street shouting out Mom-Poetry for our annual poetry jam, with lots of my g- friends, from 4-5:30 on Saturday, May 30th or write me joy@mamapalooza.com

Recent Testimonials by Brand Ambassadors on their Experience with Whom You Know

"I work with Peachy Deegan because she's prolific at what she does. She's a hard worker, she's thoughtful and she's tasteful at what she writes which is very important. Peachy gets the facts correct, and just that alone is worth its weight in gold."

-Edward Tricomi, Master Stylist and Owner of Warren-Tricomi
https://warrentricomi.com/

"No one has yet to express their taste for our cuisine better than Peachy Deegan on Whom You Know. Thank you for transforming our flavor into words, unlike any other before.
Sometimes WHOM YOU KNOW, really makes a difference and Ammos Estiatorio is grateful to know Peachy Deegan!"
-
Dimitris Nakos, Founder and Owner of
Ammos Estiatorio
https://ammosnewyork.com/

“Whom You Know has done an amazing job of featuring our company over many years [seven]. Peachy has worked tirelessly to create a well-curated selection of topics and brands that are clearly of relevance to her growing audience of readers. Her articles are filled with great insights based on first-hand experience. She does her research, knows her business and is a pleasure to work with!”

-David Sasuga, Owner of Fresh Origins Microgreens
www.FreshOrigins.com

"Peachy Deegan has the pulse of the nation and highlights exceptional opinion leaders in more than 23,000 inspiring and entertaining posts. Her 100,000 twitter followers are a true testimony to Peachy’s ability to inspire, motivate and entertain. She is a feminine force to be reckoned with and an exemplary example of an influential voice in today’s world."

-Mica Mosbacher, author of the new book The Hurricane Factor: Stormside Patriots and tv political commentator

"It was an honour to be chosen for Movers and Shakers by Peachy Deegan. The questions in the interview were intelligent and insightful and I thoroughly enjoyed answering them. The reaction to the interview has been overwhelmingly positive and has helped bring my art practice to a wider audience."
-Damien Flood, Internationally Acclaimed Artist
http://www.damienflood.ie/

"We were so fortunate to hit Peachy’s radar. Her review of our Warmies was spot-on and came at a great time in our company’s early history.
Peachy has such a strong relationship with her readers. She provides honest and real comments; she is truly a trusted source in a very large circle
of consumers."
-Scott Wehrs
President
Intelex U.S.A.
http://www.intelexusallc.com/

"We at Primola love working with Whom You Know and are proud to have been a highly-ranked Manhattan restaurant by Peachy Deegan since 2012, and are featured seasonally. We appreciate the fantastic work Peachy does highlighting our cuisine with her sublime writing style and the whole neighborhood of the Upper East side. Also, we are glad that she has started a Made in Italy column! If you have the opportunity to be considered for review, we'd highly recommend working with her."
-Giuliano Zuliani, Owner of Primola Restaurant
https://www.facebook.com/Primola-Canaletto-restaurants-NYC-135616799831091

"
Peachy Deegan is a gem. She is wonderful to feature our Irish brands in 'Whom You Know'! The articles are beautifully and passionately presented, bringing products and brands to life, making both relevant and fun for her many faithful followers to read. I am immensely proud for our hand-crafted products to be included in this venue!"

-
Bill Follett
President, Belleek Group North America
www.Belleek.com

"As you know from my past features, Peachy Deegan and I were in the same class at Boston College prior to either of us becoming entrepreneurs. When we played together on the BC Alumni softball team in Central Park years ago, she mentioned she could not find a great dentist in Manhattan and could often be found networking on her phone in the outfield hiding from the ball. She was my second patient ever in 2006 when I opened my dental practice; I was one of the first sponsors on Whom You Know and the first Mover and Shaker featured in 2009 and have worked with her continuously since. She's even talked her friends that are doctors into being my patients, and they subsequently send their hospital colleagues. I don't know anyone that is as great of a networker and writer as Peachy, nevermind that she is upstanding and always good for her word. Cosmopolitan Dental is so happy to be in the company of the caliber of major brands she works with today, and although she will tell you a million ways to get your teeth dirty between Peachy's Picks, Terrific Takeout and Peachy's Pantry, Peachy Deegan will tell you there is only one way to get your teeth clean!"
-Dr. Garo Nazarian, Founder and Owner of Cosmopolitan Dental
http://cosmopolitandental.com/